Mail-bag holder.



G. W. CURTIS. MAIL BAG HOLDER.

APPLIUATION FILED JAN. 18, 1913 Patented Sept. 16, 1913.

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UNITED STATES PATENT onricn.

GEORGE WILLIAM CURTIS, OF'OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

v To all whom it may concern MAIL-BAG HOLDER.

Be it known that I, GEORGE WIIQLIAM CUR- TIs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oakland, in the county of Alameda and State of California, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Bag Holders, of which the following is aspecification. A y

This. invention relates to mail bag holders and has special reference to a device adapted to'hold the bagin such a manner as to allow the same to be easily collected by'moving trains. 7

Another object of this invention is the production of a mail bag holder upon which a bag may be placed by a person standing upon the level of the track after which the device may be raised so as to allow the bag to be caught by a train.

A still further object of this invention is the production of a device whereby the arms are so mounted as to yield and move in the direction of the passing train.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in general of certain novel constructions, combinations and arrangements of parts as will be hereinafter fully described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and specifically claimed.

In the accompanying drawings; Figure 1 is an elevation ofthe device showinga portion of the same in section. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the device showing a portion of the same in section. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a portion of the device.

Referring to the accompanying drawing by numerals itwill be seen that the device consists of a hollow standard 1 which issup ported upon a suitable base 2.- Slidably mounted within thestandard 1 thereis an auxiliary standard 3 which is adapted to carry the mail bags. The standard 1 is provided with a slot 4: upon each side portion which slots are connectedby means of the curved slot 5. The auxiliary standard 3 is provided with an outwardly extending finger 6 to which the arm 7 is pivotally mounted, as-illustrated at 8. In order to limit the -upward movement ofthis arm 7 the finger 6 is provided with the' lip 9 againstwhich the arm 7 is adapted to bear for limiting the upward movement of the same. This finger 6 is carried by the auxiliary standard 3 and passes through the slot 4. The upper portion of the auxiliary standard is provided with an incline groove 10 inwhich the arm Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 16, 1913.

Application filedzranuai 18,1913. Serial No. 742,967.

11 is pivotally mounted, as illustrated at 12.

. This arm 11 is provided with a hood 13 intermediate its end for preventing rain, snow, etc, from entering the upper portion of the standard. 1.

In order to hold the auxiliary standard 3 in a central position within the standard 1 there is provided a bearing collar 14: within the upper portion of the standard 1 which forms a bearing for the auxiliary standard 3 while a collar 15 is carried by the lower end of the auxiliary standard 3 and is adapt ed'to slide within the standard 1.

It will be seen that a mail bag may be placed upon the arms 7 and 11 by a person standing upon the ground after which the arms may be raised so as to be at a suitable elevation for allowing the bag to be collected by a passing train. The device is normally in a position, as illustrated in Fig. 1 at which time the hood 13 will cover the upper portion of the device for preventing rain or snow from entering therein. When it is desired to place a mail bag upon the device, the auxiliary standard 3 is raised by a suitable means which will be hereinafterdescribed so as to allow the arm 11 to drop down at which time the mail bag is placed thereon. The lower arm 7 is raised and engages the lower portion of the bag. The auxiliary standard 3 is then raised further and the pin '6 thereon, following in the curved slot 5 in the standard 1, causes the said auxiliary standard, and the mail bag held therewith, to turn at right angles to the standard 1, and also to the railroad track, when the auxiliary standard 3 is at its limit of upward movement. In order to hold the arms in this position the curved portion 5 is provided with anotch 16 in which the finger 6 is adapted to rest. After the finger 6 has been placed in this position the spring 17 which is carried by the standard 1 will bear down so as to prevent the finger 6 from sliding out of engagement with the notch 16.

In order to raise the auxiliary standard 3 there is provided a rack 18 which meshes with the pinion 19. This pinion 19 is moved by the crank arm 20 when it is so desired. It will, of course, be seen that the crank arm and pinion are supported by the bracket 21 which is carried by the standard 1. Carriedby the lower end of the rack 18 there is aysecondary bracket 22 which carries the body 23. This body 23 passes through the toward the upper portion of the slot 24 4 Since the body 23 bears upon the lower p01- tion of the auxiliary standard 3, this stand ard will also be moved upwardly and will in this manner cause the arm 7 to move along the slot 4 until thesame engages thecurved portion 5 and will in this manner swing the arms and place the mail bag in position to be caught by a device on a passing train. As soon as the device has been moved to an operable position, the handle 20 is released at which time the rack 18 will drop because of its own weight toward the lower portion of the standard 1; The arms of the bag will be held in position by means of the notch 16 and the spring 17 and when the bag is caught by a passing train it will throw the arms to one side of the notched portion 16 at which time the arm 7 will pass down through one of the slots 4, the auxiliary standard 3 will pass into the standard 1 whereby the device will be thrown into inoperative position as illustrated in Fig. 1. i

From the foregoing description it will be seen that a mail bag holder has been produced whereby the bag may be easily placed thereon, after which the device may be raised to such a position as to allow the same to be engaged by a device on a passing train and during this operation the device will fall to a closed position.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is:

l. A mail bag holder of the class described comprising a primary standard, an auxiliary standard slidably mounted within the said primary standard, said auxiliary standard provided with a grooved portion in its upper end, a mail bag holder arm pivotally mounted within said groove and provided with a hood intermediate its end portions said groove being inclined, so as to constitute a means for facilitating the lowering of said arm, said auxiliary standard also provided with another mail bag holder arm means for automatically turn-ing said auxiliary standard so as to place the arms at right angles to the track and means for raising said auxiliary standard. V

'2. A mail bag holder comprising a primary standard, an auxiliary standard slidably mounted within said primary standard,

mail bag engaging means carried said auxiliary standard, a plurality of slots formed in said primary standard, one of said arms extending through one of said slots,'said slots provided with a communieating slot, means for raising said auxiliary standard, and said communicating slot constituting a means for turning said auxiliary standard at right angles to the track whereby-the mailbag may be easily engaged ,1

auxiliary standard slidably mounted with-' in said primary standard, a plurality of mail bag engaging means carried by auxil iary standard, sa d primary standard provided with a lurality; "of slots, said primary standard also provided with a" curved slot communicating with said slots one of said 'inail bag engaging means passmgthrough one of said slots, means for raisingsaid auxillary standard, said curved sl'ot; provided with a notched portion, the mail bag engaging means positioned within said slot and adapted to move upwardly to beguided by said curvedslo't so as to be positioned atri'ght angles with the track," said means adapted to rest within said notched portion, and spring carried by said primary standard and bearing upon said mail bag engaging means for holding same in an operable position. p p

4. A mail bag holder of the class de scribed comprising aprimary standard, an auxiliary standard slidably mounted within said primary standard said primary standard provided with a plurality of vertical slots, and a curved slot communicating with said vertical slots, a finger passing through said slots and engaging said auxiliary standard, said auxiliary standard provided with a plurality of arms, one of said arms pivotally mounted to said finger, {said finger also provided with a lip adapted to bear upon said arm for limiting the upward movement of said arm, and means for raising said arms to an operable position.

5, A mail bag holder of the class described eomprisin aprima'ry standard, an auxiliary standar l slidably mounted within said primary standard, mail bag engaging means carried by said auxiliary standard, means for automatically throwing said armst-o an operable position,and atright angles to the track, said rimary standard provided with a vertical y extending slot upon its rear portion, a racksupported upon said primary standard, means carried by the lower portion of said rack and engaging the lower portion of said auxiliary standard and work'ingin said slot for moving said auxiliary standard upwardly and meansfor op crating said rack; A I I '6. A mail bag holder comprising aprim-ary standard, an auxiliary standard slid ably mounted withinsaidpri-mary standard,

mail bag engaging means carried by said auxiliary standard, -means for'swinging said mail bag engaging means at right angles to the track, said primary standard provided with a vertical slot in its rear portion, said standard also provided witha bracket adondary bracket carried by the lower end of said rack and passing through said slot and 1 provided with an enlarged body adapted to engage the lower end of said auxiliary standard, said rack adapted to move up and down, and said secondary bracket adapted 10 to raise said auxiliary standard so as to allow the mail bag engaging means to hold a bag in such a position as to allow the same to be engaged by a device on a train.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two wltnesses.

GEORGE WILLIAM CURTIS.

' Witnesses: W. A. S'rooK,

F. P. SOHROEDER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addrcssing'the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. G. 

